Introduction: Alzheimer's and Art Therapy

Have you ever wanted to say a word, but can’t remember? Have you ever wanted to greet someone by their name, but felt guilty for not recalling? Elderlies with Alzheimer’s go through this everyday. Every sentence they say trails off into a blur. Every name they used to hold close and dear to their hearts vanishes from their minds. Alzheimer’s Disease affect more than three million people per year, yet modern medicine still holds no answer, treatment or cure, to Alzheimer’s Disease. As a result, many fall into depression and feel undignified for their inability to connect with their loved ones and to express themselves the way they used to. There has to be a outlet for the unspoken words. So here, for my senior project, art will be the language that communicates, reconnects, and reinvigorates their lives.

Art therapy,a psychotherapeutic relationship between therapist and patient, can build cognitive skills, alleviate stress, and boost confidence levels. It has been employed to treat many psychological disorders, such as dissociative identity disorder, but more research is needed to test its significance on Alzheimer’s Disease. Therefore, by working with Alzheimer’s patients at the Alzheimer’s Activity Center for one trimester, I plan to investigate the significance of art therapy on functional impairment in patients with dementia. More importantly, I hope that art improves their quality of life and brings about happiness.

Come. Come along with me to discover the power of art.

#AlzheimersDisease #Arttherapy